RELIANCE FOUNDATION
SCHOOL - NAGOTHANE
GRADE XI
CHEMISTRY INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT
Determination of Caffeine in Tea
Samples
SUBMITTED BY
PRAVEENASRI K
CERTIFICATE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my special thanks to my
chemistry teacher who gave me the golden
opportunity to do this wonderful project, which
also helped me in doing a lot of research and I
came to know about so many new things.
Secondly I would also like to thank my parents
who helped me lot in finalizing this project with
in the limited time frame.
chemistry project on
Determination of Caffeine in
Tea Samples
LIST OF CONTENTS:
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
TEA ACIDITY AND TASTE
ANALYSIS OF COLOUR
ANALYSIS OF BULK DENSITY
EXTRACTION OF CAFFEINE
ANTIOXIDANT ASSAY
USES OF CAFFEINE
EFFECT OF CAFFEINE
PROCEDURE
OBSERVATION TABLE
CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION
Caffeine is widely used in pharmaceuticals, food and in
many other products. Tea contains more caffeine than
coffee by dry weight. This may vary in caffeine content
based on nature of tea leaves, growing conditions and
processing techniques. Today, caffeine is used much as
stimulant drug. It provides a "boost of energy" or a
feeling of heightened alertness. Many workers can drink
tea or coffee frequently in order to get briskness.
Likewise, drivers on long road trips often fill their cup
holders with energy drinks or convenience-store coffees
to help them push through to their destinations.
Overall, caffeine is present in the beans, leaves, and
fruit of over 60 plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide
that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding upon
them. Caffeine is a stimulant of CNS, having the effect
of temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring
alertness.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Different varieties of Indian tea samples were
purchased from the market. Tea waste was collected
from tea stall. The physical properties of tea powder and
tea waste were analyzed.
TEA ACIDITY AND TASTE
Twenty-five grams of each sample was taken in a
beaker and 100 ml of water was poured to it. The
solution was heated till it boiled, after which the beaker
was kept covered and allowed to stand for 5 minutes. A
drop was taken from each beaker to spot on a pH meter.
After recording the pH of the different tea samples we
also tasted a sample of the tea from each beaker.
ANALYSIS OF COLOUR
The 20 grams of the sample was taken in a beaker added
200 ml of distilled water to it. The colour intensity was
measured using a spectrophotometer at 450 nm.
ANALYSIS OF BULK DENSITY
A weighed quantity of tea powder was introduced into a
graduated measuring cylinder. The measuring cylinder
was tapped manually till a constant volume was obtained.
This volume is known as the bulk volume of the tea
powder. The same procedure was followed for each brand
of tea powder. Bulk density of powder is defined as the
ratio of the mass of the powder to its bulk volume of
distilled water.
Bulk density = mass of the powder / bulk volume
EXTRACTION OF CAFFEINE
Tea bags are used as the source of caffeine for this
experiment. Different varieties of 3 tea bags (50 g of
each) were taken and boiled with 200 ml of distilled
water for 10 minutes. This was allowed to cool for 5
minutes and then decant the mixture into another beaker.
Then the tea bags were squeezed to liberate the rest of the
water. The collected aqueous solution was cooled and
mixed with 30ml of dichloromethane followed by 1%
sodium sulphide. This mixture was mixed and poured
into separation funnel. Two layers were separated and
extracted filtrate was further heated to get the white
crystals of caffeine. The extracted caffeine was measured
spectrophotometerically at 645nm. The physical
properties of caffeine were analyzed.
ANTIOXIDANT ASSAY
Antioxidant capacity of tea extracts and caffeine
solutions (100 mg/l) were determined using the ABTS
radical scavenging assay according to the method
reported by Reetal. (1999), and ferric
reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, carried out
according to the original method by Benzie and Strain
(1996)
USES OF CAFFEINE
1. In medicine, it is used to stimulate, central nervous
system and to increase flow of urine.
2. Because of its stimulating effects, caffeine has been
used to relieve fatigue. But it is dangerous and one
may collapse if not consumes it under certain limit.
3. Caffeine is also used in analgesic tablets, as it is
believed to be a pain reliever. It is also beneficial in
migraines.
EFFECT OF CAFFEINE
1. It is psycho - stimulant.
2. It improves physical and mental ability.
3. Its effect in learning is doubtful but intellectual
performance may improve where it has been used to
reduce fatigue or boredom.
4. When administered internally, it stimulates heart and
nervous system and also acts as diuretic. On the
contrary their excessive use is harmful to digestion and
their long use leads to mental retardation.
PROCEDURE
First of all, 50 grams of tea leaves were taken as
sample and 150 ml of water was added to it in a
beaker.
Then the beaker was heated up to extreme boiling.
The solution was filtered and lead acetate was
added to the filtrate, leading to the formation of a
curdy brown coloured precipitate.
We kept on adding lead acetate till no more
precipitate has been formed.
Again solution was filtered.
Now the filtrate so obtained was heated until it
had become 50 ml.
Then the solution left was allowed to cool.
After that, 20 ml. of chloroform was added to it.
Soon after, two layers appeared in the separating
funnel.
The residue left behind was caffeine.
Then we weighed it and recorded the observations.
Similar procedure was performed with different
samples of tealeaves and quantity of caffeine was
observed in them.
OBSERVATION TABLE
1. Red Label Tea
Weight of china dish 46.60 gm
Weight of china dish with 49 gm
Precipitate
Amount of caffeine (each 50 gm 2.4 gm
tea
2.Tata Tea
Weight of china dish 46.60 gm
Weight of china dish with precipitate 47.63 gm
Amount of caffeine (each 50 gm tea) 1.03 gm
3.Green Label Tea (Lipton)
Weight of china dish 46.60 gm
Weight of china dish with precipitate 46.65 gm
Amount of caffeine (each 50 gm tea) 0.055 gm
CONCLUSION
Quantity of caffeine in Red label tea is 2400 mg/sample
of 50 gm.
Quantity of caffeine in Tata Tea is 1030 mg/sample of
50 gm.
Quantity of caffeine in green label tea is 55 mg/sample
of 50 gm.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.in
www.study lib.net
www.quora.com
www.ved.com
Biology Text class XI & XII (NCERT)
